The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-11-01
The Religious Worship at the
Tabernacle.
ELDER JAS. McMURRIN SPEAKS
He Delivers n Elaborate Address on
the First Principles OF
the Gospel.

interest to the speaker, Elder McMur-
rim. The singing by the choir and con
gregation of the first hymn brought re-
collections of incidents and meetings in
by-gone days in their native lands tc
many who had gathered from abroad
it being an old-time favorite, especially
in the British Isles. 1t was:
When first the glorious light of truth
Burst forth IL this last age,
how ~ tr were YIsh neart and soul
T. obey 1t did engage.
Prayer by Elder Lerenzo D. Young,
Singing by the choir of,
NV Father thou that dwellest
In the high ana glorious placei
When shall regain thy presence
And again behold thy lace?
ELDER JAMES MCMUggIN arose with pe
culIar feelings to speak of the princlp pies
of everlasting life, and requested the
aid of the prayers and faith of the
Saints. The principles of the gospel
are such as to demand the attention of
the world. God had revealed a plan
whereby His children may advance
step by step, until they regain His
| presence. The Almighty revealed the
gospel for the benefit of every son and
| daughter of Adam. If they will obey
| its principles-the first ones-they will
| be blessed with testimony of its truth.
| Faith was the first principle. he said,
and explained the necessity of faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ, reciting the ac-
ton of the Saints in the days of Jesus.
In these days the sects of the world
taught that belief alone was all that was
necessary to be saved. The Latter-day
SAINTS thought that there were other re-
quisites to obtain eternal life, among
which were constant ami honest labor
in the cause of truth. The people
would have known little of God and the
things pertaining to eternal life if the
Almighty had not from tine to time re-
vealed Himself. Faith was awakened
in the hearts OF the people by hearing
the principles OF the gospel preached by
the elders. When they heard them, a
curiosity was awakened and they in
vestigated further. The Bible does not
teach that but few will be saved; the
gospel and plan of salvation was for all
mankind. when an individual obey ed
the gospel, the Lord gave them testi-
mony. The honest in heart in all the
world would hear the truth. All man
kind would hear the principles of the
gospel. and after they had obeyed lis
requirements they were required to re-
main faithful in order to secure the
blessings promised to those who obeyed
Faith and works are necessary, Elder
McMurrin said, and supported his state
ment by an apt illustration. The bless
ings of the Lord were obtained through
faithfulness. There were other -equi-
sites necessary to salvation, in addition
to faith. Repentance follows and is the
next step in the perfect plan of saliva
ton, anu as repentance followed faith,
baptism followed repentanceAThe Savior
taught these first principles, and b had
a right to teach them, inasmuch as He
yielded obedience to them Himself. He
was baptized of John III the Jordan, for
thus 1t "becometh US" the Savior said,
Ito fulfil all righteousness" Would
Jesus have submitted to this ordinance
if it were not necessary 10 saivation2
Nay, verify. If il was necessary for
the Son OF God to go down into the
waters of baptism, how much more so
was it necessary for humanity? If
Christ were on earth now, he would not
preach different doctrines from those
he preached when among men 800
wears ago. The SAVIOR commissioned
certain ones, when he left them, to go
forth to preach the gospel. and they
were consistent In regard to the first
principles. When persi was con-
verted to the existence of the Godhrad,
they sought the mind and Will of that
Godhead. Peter taught those who de-
sired to know what TO do to be saved:
Repent and be baptized. every one of
YOU" Jesus gave unto Peter the keys
of the Kingdom and he stood at the
head. He had an excellent opportun-
lty at that memorable time to tell the
people to believe IN the Lord Jesus
Christ, and that alone would save them,
but, instead, he told them to repent
and be baptized" This was a testimony
the world of the necessity for the
third princip e-biptism. he teachings
of one apostle were the same as those
taught by the others. Paul, in the sixth
Hebrews, spoke similarly in regard 10
the first principles and in regard to
baptism by immersion. he, in the fifth
chapter of Romans, laid down q mode
by which burying in the water was
taught. The idea of being baptized in any
manner the subject elected to have per
formed was an incorrect one. The Saw
ior said, on one occasion, Except a
man is born of water and of the spirit.
he cannot enter the kingdom of
heaven" These were the words of
Jesus, 1900 years ago, and were not the
emanation of any Latter-day Saints
brain in these days.
Elder McMurrln related incident of
his experience in Ireland, in relation to
an argument he overheard, in which
| this doctrine of baptism was discussed
and the changing of the wording of the
Scriptures advocated by one The
other remarked that if the wording was
altered. we might as we'll substitute
potatoes for bread in the Sacrament of
the Lords Supper, and buttermilk for
wine, and then they would have butter
milk and potatoes. He continued his
remarks, and illustrated the necessity of
tie layir & on of hands tor the reception
tof the Holy Ghost. Why did the
apostles journey to Samsria in order to
pray for the people there, If it vas
SIMPLY necessary to believe in order to
be saved, and lay their hands on them
for the gift of the Holy Ghost2 The
people had not only believed, but had
been bap lied, yet had not received the
| HOLY Ghost These teaching were not